Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food. John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store.
Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can." John told her he could not give her credit, as she did not have a charge account at his store. Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the
conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?” Louise replied "Yes sir" "O.K." he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."
Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed. The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down. The grocer staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it."
The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.
The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer which said: "Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands."
The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and placed on the scales and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store. The customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to John as he said, "It was worth every penny of it." It was sometime later that John Longhouse discovered the scales were broken; therefore, only God knows how much a prayer weighs.
1. There was the silence of the judge. The judge did not move to help her. His heart was hard and harsh; he had not interest in helping anyone would not benefit his career or fill his pockets.
2. He could not get rid of her. She would not accept silence nor take no for an answer. She kept coming and coming. The judge gave in lest he has to give up this rest.
3. The Old Testament clearly tells us that we ought to be extremely charitable towards three categories of people namely the Orphans, Widows and Strangers. The Judge had the every obligation to grant justice to the widow but he kept ignoring her.
4. God does not always answer the cry of a believer immediately. He knows the right time and He decides when to answer our prayer. We need to persevere in our prayer and need to trust the Lord totally.
5. We should pray for our needs not for our wants. God will always give us our needs. Most of the times we pray for our ‘wants’ and that is the reason we do not get the desired answer from the Lord.
We pray the good Lord to enlighten our hearts and minds to make prayer as an integral part of our lives.
Courtesy
The Preacher’s Outline and the Sermon Bible
Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can." John told her he could not give her credit, as she did not have a charge account at his store. Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the
conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?” Louise replied "Yes sir" "O.K." he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."
Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed. The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down. The grocer staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it."
The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.
The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer which said: "Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands."
The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and placed on the scales and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store. The customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to John as he said, "It was worth every penny of it." It was sometime later that John Longhouse discovered the scales were broken; therefore, only God knows how much a prayer weighs.
1. There was the silence of the judge. The judge did not move to help her. His heart was hard and harsh; he had not interest in helping anyone would not benefit his career or fill his pockets.
2. He could not get rid of her. She would not accept silence nor take no for an answer. She kept coming and coming. The judge gave in lest he has to give up this rest.
3. The Old Testament clearly tells us that we ought to be extremely charitable towards three categories of people namely the Orphans, Widows and Strangers. The Judge had the every obligation to grant justice to the widow but he kept ignoring her.
4. God does not always answer the cry of a believer immediately. He knows the right time and He decides when to answer our prayer. We need to persevere in our prayer and need to trust the Lord totally.
5. We should pray for our needs not for our wants. God will always give us our needs. Most of the times we pray for our ‘wants’ and that is the reason we do not get the desired answer from the Lord.
We pray the good Lord to enlighten our hearts and minds to make prayer as an integral part of our lives.
Courtesy
The Preacher’s Outline and the Sermon Bible
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